For this cultural post, I would like to go over the traditional Korean clothing called 한복 (hanbok). This YouTube video by the Korean Englishman is a vlog of three British men going to the Korean palace called Gyeongbokgung dressed in hanboks. The three different types of hanboks that they tried was the 왕 (king’s) hanbok, typical male’s hanbok, and a woman’s hanbok. It was interesting to see how the king’s garment was significantly different from the men’s hanbok. It was made in bright red cloth with distinctive gold designed on each side of the arms and on the center of the body.
Hanbok is a traditional Korean clothing, not only by South Korea, but also North Korea and Korean-Chinese (조선족). However, through separation of all these groups, the styles of hanbok has significantly changed overtime. Back in the days, during the Joseon dynasty, only those who where in high class positions were able to wear hanboks. But nowadays, anyone is able to rent or purchase hanboks with stylistic designs.
Especially for women’s hanboks, they are very colorful and typically with flower designs. There are two parts to a female hanbok. The short jacket is called the 저고리 (jeogori) and the skirt that you wear under the jacket is called 치마 (chima). There are also specific details for the hanboks such as a square shaped belt for the king, a ribbon for the jeogori, and a wide-rimmed hat for the men. This cultural clothing I believe significantly represents Korea’s unique identity and customs. Hanbok is worn during important days such as Korean Lunar New Years, weddings, and birthdays. It is a symbolization of the pride of Korean in celebrating their heritage. Lately, I have been seeing a lot of celebrities wearing altered versions of hanboks to show their Korean identities and bring awareness to the Korean culture. Some may argue that the change is ruining the traditional look but it is a good way to really tie down different cultures Korea is known for.
It was interesting to see how the YouTubers were able to go to the Gyeongbokgung Palace without paying an entree fee for wearing the hanboks. The Gyeongbokgung Palace was the main royal palace during the Joseon dynasty. This Palace was where the king lived and was the government of Joseon. However, during the Imjin War, some of the premises of the palace was destroyed due to the fire.
When I went to Korea for my study abroad program, a lot of my friends went to the Gyeongbokgung Palace to try on the hanbok. I think it is a great way to promote the Korean culture and a way to fully experience what it was like to live in one of the Korea’s palaces. I remembered that it had also been a known spot for visitors to take picture and host big events such as the New Years.
I really rely on this YouTube channel by Korean Englishman because I think it’s a great source to learn a lot about Korean culture. Without myself actually experiencing the culture, we are able to receiving the feeling of going to these places and trying new things through the vlogs.
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